# Accident 20020526023569A: Hughes 369HS, Agana, Guam, May 26, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 26, 2002, 14:30 local time
- Place: Agana, Guam
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: FCYA
- Location: 13.4708° N, 144.7408° E: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=13.4708&lon=144.7408&mi=10
- Aircraft: N500LA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N500LA-2020-07-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Hughes 369HS (registry code 4470728, https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-369hs) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HUGHES 369HS
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA176](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA176) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020526023569A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON MAY 26, 2002, ABOUT 2130 HOURS LOCAL TIME, A MCDONNELL DOUGLAS 369HS, N500LA, FORCE LANDED IN A PRIVATE PARKING LOT DURING TAKEOFF NEAR AGANA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AGANA, GUAM. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED BY AMERICOPTERS, INC. UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM A PRIVATE HELIPAD AT CHUCK'S STEAK HOUSE. INITIAL REPORTS INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING DEPARTURE AND WAS FORCE LANDED IN THE PARKING LOT. PRELIMINARY INFORMATION INDICATED THE POSSIBILITY OF FUEL CONTAMINATION. (-23) ON MAY 27, 2002, A HUGHES 369-HS HELICOPTER PILOTED BY ROGER ROBERT ANDERSON OF AMERICOPTERS, INC. LIFTED OFF @ 1430 FROM THE HELIPAD AT CHUCKS STEAKHOUSE WITH 3 PASSENGERS ONBOARD FOR A SIGHTSEEING/TOUR FLIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET ABOVE GROUND AND AN AIRSPEED OF 50 KNOTS THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE FAILURE. MR. ANDERSON PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION TO THE GROUND, SKIDDED APPROXIMATELY 100' AND RAN INTO A UTILITY TRAILER AND A VAN. HE EX                                   ITED THE HELICOPTER, AND ASSISTED THE THREE PASSENGERS FROM THE HELICOPTER. ON MAY 28, 2002, I ARRIVED AT THE HANGAR OF HENSON HELICOPTERS IN HARMON, GUAM WHERE THE HELICOPTER WAS MOVED TO. I REQUESTED FROM THE OPERATOR COPIES OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS OF THE LAST 6 MONTHS, AND BI-ANNUAL PILOT PROFICIENCY CHECK OF MR. ANDERSON. PHOTOS OF THE WRECKAGE AND CRASH SITE WERE TAKEN BY ME ON MAY 28, 2002. I REQUESTED A SAMPLE OF FUEL TAKEN FROM THE SUMP DRAIN AND SAMPLE FROM THE FUEL FILTER. THE FUEL FILTER SHOWED VISIBLE EVIDENCE OF CONTAMINATION, WHILE THE SUMP DRAIN SHOWED NONE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION IN THE FUEL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX02LA176](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA176), May 26, 2002: Hughes 369C (N500LA), Agana, substantial damage. Probable cause: sabotage to the helicopter's fuel system, which resulted in a loss of engine power and a forced landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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